The Disney Comics Blog @ DCW

Panini publishes Enchanted and W.i.t.c.h. magazines in the UK

Arthur — Wed, 14 May 2008 20:35:57 +0000

Panini in the UK has added two new Disney magazines to its portfolio: one a new launch and the other an existing magazine it is taking on from BBC Magazines. Disney Presents launches with content on Enchanted to tie in with the release of the film on DVD. In addition, Panini is taking on the publishing of WITCH magazine from the BBC from May 14th.

Free Comic Book Day 2008

Arthur — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:40:32 +0000

This Saturday, May 3rd, is Free Comic Book Day. This annual event is a great opportunity to introduce your friends and family to the world of comics as many comic book stores across North America and the world will hand out comics totally free! There will be over 40 different free comics this year, including the annual contribution by Gemstone Publishing, publisher of Disney comics in the United States. This year’s free Disney comic is all about Duckburg’s most famous inventor: Gyro Gearloose.

From the website: Scrooge and Launchpad join their gadget-man pal for a book full of inventive adventure! Gyro creates a super cheese in Carl Barks’ and Don Rosa’s “Pied Piper of Duckburg”; a money rescue system in “Cave of the Winds”; and several awesome — but not quite uncrashable — planes in William Van Horn’s “All Quacked Up!”

You can download a few sample pages of this Gyro Gearloose issue here.

You can check this page for participating stores.

Ultraheroes, Disney Italy’s newest multi-part series

Arthur — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:24:40 +0000

Disney Italy continues to make impressive new and original stories. Last year saw the release of Wizards of Mickey, a new world of wizards, castles and bewitched lands created by Claretta Muci and Stefano Ambrosio starring Mickey, Goofy and Donald. That 10-part series has since been reprinted across Europe. In February 2008, weekly Topolino started another multi-part series in issue 2726: Ultraheroes.

Ultraheroes ran for nine issues and featured all the superheroes of the Disney comics universe in an epic clash against the super villains to determine the faith of the world. Those Italians sure know how to make exciting stories. The series was written by Giorgio Salati and features beautiful artwork by Ettore Gula and Roberta Migheli.

All 9 stories can be downloaded in PDF format from the official website. I really like how Disney Italy uses the internet to promote their comics and stories and even make them available for download. I haven’t seen any other Disney publisher do this (if you know one that does then please let me know). Wizards of Mickey had an especially impressive website (www.wizardsofmickey.com).

Unfortunately I can’t read Italian but the artwork of Ultraheroes looks great. I can’t wait to read this series in a language I understand.

Here are some sample pages of Ultraheroes:

Egmont receives Disney Milestone Award

Arthur — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 06:47:35 +0000

Egmont, one of Scandinavia’s leading media groups, has received the Disney Milestone Award at the annual Bologna Children Book’s Fair in Italy earlier this month. Tommy Melle, Vice president of Egmont Kids & Teens, received the award for 60 years of mutual beneficial cooperation with The Walt Disney Company.

Egmont published its first Donald Duck comic book, Kalle Anka, in Sweden starting in 1948. In the beginning the comic contained mostly American material, but starting in 1963 writers and artists at Egmont’s headquarters in Copenhagen started creating their own stories featuring Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and lots of other favorite characters. Today, Egmont publishes Disney periodicals in more than 20 countries. With 8 million weekly readers, Egmont is the world’s largest comics producer.

Interview with Don Rosa at Frank Stajano’s Comics Podcast

Arthur — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:10:28 +0000

Frank Stajano has published the first installment of his interview with Don Rosa when he visited the Disney comics artist in his Louisville home in January 2008. Rosa talks about his early years as a comic artist including his work on Captain Kentucky and the Pertwillaby Papers. You can listen to the podcast on Frank’s blog.

Carl Barks oil painting auctioned for $119,500

Arthur — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:54:54 +0000

Carl Barks 1973 oil painting The Goose Egg Nugget recently sold for $119,500. The painting is based on Barks’ own story from 1953, Back to the Klondike, and shows a young Scrooge McDuck unvealing a large gold nugget on the bar of a saloon, with Glittering Goldie on his side. The painting was sold at Heritage’s Vintage Comic and Comic Art Signature Auction at the end of February in Dallaes, Taxas.

Source: Carl Barks Oil Painting Brings $119,500 (Scoop)

Gemstone’s Disney comics back on track

Arthur — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 14:34:37 +0000

After a few delays at Gemstone Publishing, Disney comics are back on track in the United States with several new releases scheduled for this month. To be shipped in January 2008 are Disney’s Ducktales by Marv Wolfman: Scrooge’s Quest, Uncle Scrooge #371, Uncle Scrooge #372 and Walt Disney Treasures Vol. 2: Uncle Scrooge — A Little Something Special. For details on what you can find in these new issues see Scoop.

Disney comics Web Forums

Arthur — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:26:46 +0000

Here’s a list of online discussion groups about Disney comics. If you have one to add please leave a comment:

Walt Disney Treasures

Arthur — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:08:21 +0000

This month Gemstone Publishing in the United States is releasing the second issue in their Walt Disney Treasures series. Uncle Scrooge: A Little Something Special, a 160-page trade paperback, celebrating Scrooge McDuck’s 60th anniversary in style.

Inside you’ll find:

Carl Barks’ “Seven Cities of Cibola,” Scrooge’s richest treasure hunt!
“Getting That Healthy, Wealthy Feeling,” by Carl Fallberg and Tony Strobl — the origin story of Scrooge’s Number One Dime, uncut for the first time in North America!
Thrilling tightwad tales by Marco Rota (“The Money Ocean”), William Van Horn (“Windfall on Mt.G’zoontight”) and Romano Scarpa (“Witness Persecution”)!
Don Rosa’s feature-length anniversary epic “A Little Something Special”… what else could this book be named after?
Stick with us for more news about this ultra-Scrooge bonanza, including the debut of some never-before-published Carl Barks art. Scoop will give you another scoop — at publication time!

Source: Scoop

T-shirts for Disney comics fans

Arthur — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 17:18:17 +0000

Stuffosaurus has a collection of t-shirts for fans of Disney comics, including several ones based on famous Carl Barks stories, like “I Went to Plain Awful and all I found was this square egg!” and a Calisota University design for alumni, students and fans of Calisota, home of Duckburg. Some great gifts here for Disney comic fans. Have a look at the other designs. Here are some examples: